Wood floor cleaning – Protect against spillages

Hard wood has been used as flooring for hundreds of years and is often described as ‘classy’, ‘elegant’ and ‘sophisticated’ which offers a great finish and will enhance any environment.  These types of words are probably used as a result of past usage, where hard wood floors were only available to upper middle class and rich families and were as much an indicator of social status as anything else.  Even nowadays hard wood is not a cheap option but when properly installed provides a fantastic finish and will, if properly looked after, look good for many years to come.

Hard wood is, compared to alternative types of flooring, relatively difficult to maintain and that is one of the problems with the surface.  Wood can stain, scratch and mark easily and careful and regular maintenance is needed to keep it looking good.  One of the factors that can cause problems is spillages, as water not only affects the surface, but can also seek into spaces between floor boards and actually ruin the material over time.  For this reason it is not common to find (nor is it recommended to have) hardwood floors in areas where spillages are common – such as wash rooms and kitchens.

In some cases spillages are inevitable, an accidental spilt drink at dinner, inevitable spillages with children in the house and the ‘accidents’ with pets especially when a young puppy or kitten, or an older pet is involved.  Spillages can cause a problem if they are not cleaned up immediately, and a pet or young child certainly won’t advise when and where a spillage has occurred.  Even if cleaned immediately, a spillage such as wine or coffee can cause instant staining to an unprotected floor – so your first step in caring for your floor is to seal it.

Before sealing it is useful to know what has previously been applied to a floor in terms of a sealant.  To check if your floor has a sealant you can pour a few drops of water on the surface.  If they ‘float’ on the surface and do not seep at all into the wood, you probably have a floor that has been sealed at some point.  It is a very good idea to have a floor periodically sealed and if you need to assess the state of your floor you would be well advised to contact a wood floor cleaning specialist who will be able to advise you.

A good commercial sealant will offer an extra layer of protection against spillages – effectively ‘water-proofing’ the surface and reducing the risk posed by liquids.  Spillages should still be cleaned up immediately and care should be taken to protect the sealant from scratches and abrasions (regular sweeping and vacuuming is recommended) so that your sealant remains effective for longer.  If you need your floor re-sealed (highly recommended) or cleaned if it has become stained – then you will probably need to contact a wood floor cleaning company to do this for you.